Plow attachment.



PATENTED DEC. 8, 1903.

W. H. BETTS.

PLOW ATTACHMENT.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1903.

NO MODEL.

a 4 WZZZzamfzEsZZW m 7 Q1 11 farg zy s STATES Patented December 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. BETTS, OF SHELLROCK, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MERRILLS JULIUS JOHNSON, OF SHELLROOK, IOWA.

PLOW ATTACHMENT.

SPEGIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,996, dated December 1 Application filed September 5, 1903. Serial No. 172,145. (No model.)

To all LU/Z0777, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. BETTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shellrock,in the county of Butler and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Plow Attachment, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved attachment for plows, which I prefer to designate a plow-leveling attachment, for the reason that the function of said attachment is to maintain the plow during operation at a continuouslylevelposition,wherebythe point, as well as the wheel, of the plow shall be prevented from being unevenly worn.

It is well known thatin the use of plows as ordinarily constructed one of the principal disadvantages arises from the fact that the under side of the point or nose of the plow is quickly worn to a rounded condition upon the under side. W'hen this occurs, there willbe a tendency for the plow to work upward and out of the ground, and while this tendency may be counteracted by the vertical adjustment of the draft by means of the clevis at the front end of the beam there is a limit to such adjustment and it eventually becomes necessary to repoint the plow, an operation which when frequently resorted to is expensive not only in actual outlay of money, but owing toloss of time at a season when the time can not well be spared. It is not only at the point that the ordinary plow exhibits the signs of wear, but at the heel end as well. In other words, the heel of the landside speedily becomes worn so as to present a convex or rounded corner, the wear being principally upon the lower edge of thelandside, which instead of being convex should rather be a trifling concave in order to produce the proper suck in the operation of the plow. This, too, is a feature that requires frequent attention in order that the plow may be guided evenly and steadily. iVith a view of overcoming these disadvantages and of providing a plow .claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of a plow equipped with my improved attachment. Fig. 2 isaseotional view taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view showing my invention detached from the plow.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similar numerals of referones.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a plow which has been shown conventionally, the same exhibiting a share 2, having a point 3, a landside 4, connected by a brace 5 with the share, and a wear-plate 6, bolted and suitably secured to the outer side of the landside, said wear-plate being readily removable for repairs and for the substitution of a new one.

My improved attachment'coni prises a plate 7 having a horizontal slot 8 and a pair of rearwardly-extending horizontal lugs 9. The latterareprovided at theirinneredges with shoulders 10, extending laterally from the plate or shank 7. The lugs 9 are perforated for the passage of a revoluble stem 11, provided at its lower end with a rearwardly-extending foot-plate 12. The stem 11 is mounted in the perforations 13 of the lugs 9 and is retained revolubly in such perforations or bearings by means of a set-collar 14, introduced between the lugs 9 and having a set-screw 15, whereby it is connected adjustably with the stem 11.

The rear end of the landside of almost every plow is provided with a heel-bolt 16, serving either for the attachment of the rear end of a wear-plate, as in the present case, or for the attachment of other parts of the plow. In plows not already provided with such a heel-bolt a perforation will be drilled transversely through the landside near the rear end of the latter for the attachment of my improved device, as will be readily understood.

In operation the plate or shank 11 is mounted upon the heel-bolt 16 in such a manher that one of the shoulders shall abut upon the rear edge or heel of the landside. The heel-bolt extends through the slot 8 of the shank or plate '7, and the latter is thus adapted to be fitted upon various plows having the heel-bolts located at various distances from their rear ends, the presence of the shoulders 10 insuring a rigid and solid attachment. Owing to the presence of the shoulders 10 on both sides of the shank or the plate 7, it is obvious that my invention may be attached equally well to right or to left hand plows. WVhen thus attached, the stem 11, having the foo -plate 12, is free to swing upon a vertical casting in rear of the heel-plate, the footplate having a free movement to the right or to the left and it being capable of adjustment as to depth or relatively to the lower edge of the landside by simply loosening the set-screw 15 and moving the stem 11 to the desired position, after which the set-screw is retightened.

It is obvious that in case the point of the plow should be worn off on the under side and the plow should exhibit a tendency to work upward in the ground the shoe may be slightly lowered, thus compelling the point to enter into the soil, this being accomplished independently of any adjustment of the draft.

\Vhen my improved attachment is present, undue wear upon the heel of the landside is rendered practically impossible. Plows that have already been worn may by the addition of my improved attachment be rendered serviceable withoutfurther repairs, and inasmuch as the attachment may be placed in position without the use of other tools than such as are always at hand. it is evident that any unskilled person may apply the same to a plow, thus avoiding the waste of time oftentimes incurred in taking the plow to a blacksmith. My improved attachment, moreover, constitutes not only a plow-leveler, but in turning a corner it will be found a valuable adjunct, for the reason that in turning a corner with a walking-plow the tendency of the plow is to tip sidewise and the operator has to exercise considerable force to overcome this tendency and keep the plow right side up. With my improved attachment in position upon a plow when the latter turns the shoe which constitutes the attachment will keep in the line of draft and will thus as the plow swings around assume a position practically at right angles to the latter, thus forming a brace,

whereby the plow will be positively prevented from tipping or tilting, and that without any effort on the part of the operator.

I have in the foregoing described a simple and preferred construction of my invention; but I desire it to be understood thatI do not thereby limit myself to the structural details of the same, but reserve the right to any changes, alterations, and modifications which may be resorted to within the scope of my invention and without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the utility of the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A plow attachment consisting of a shoe pivotally connected with the heel end of the landside, vertically adjustable and capable of swinging in a horizontal plane.

2. A plow attachment comprising a plate having perforated lugs, a shank pivotally mounted and vertically adjustable in said lugs, and a shoe in the lower end of said shank, capable of swinging in a horizontal plane.

3. In a device of the class described, a plate having a horizontal slot and provided with lugs at its rear end, said lugs being vertically adjustable, in combination with a stem mounted pivotally in said lugs and having a shoe at its lower end, and a set-collar upon said stem between said lugs.

4. The combination with a plow, of aplate having ahorizontal slot engaging a bolt near the rear end of the landside of the plow, said plate being provided with rearwardly-extending lugs having laterally-extending shoulders abutting upon the heel of the landside, a stem mounted pivotally in said lugs and carrying a shaft, and a set-collar upon said stem between the lugs.

5. A plow attachment comprising a horizontally-slotted plate having rearwardly-extending lugs, said lugs being extended later ally on opposite sides of the plate, a stem mounted pivot-ally and adjustably in perforations in the said lugs, and a shoe at the lower end of said stem.

6. The combination with a plow, of an attachment for connectinga pivoted trailer with said plow, said attachment comprising a horizontally-slotted plate adapted to engage a bolt near the heel end of the plow, and a shouldered brace extending laterally from said plate and adapted to abut upon the rear edge of the landside of either a right-hand or a left-hand plow.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. BETTS.

Witnesses:

N. D. GODFREY, R. J. JOHNSON. 

